Water quality in the Floridan Aquifer Region

We rely on clean water to sustain human life, ecosystems, and food supply. In Florida and southwest Georgia, the Floridan Aquifer supplies much of the water we use. As populations grow and regional economies expand, the impacts of human activity on water pollution become more widespread. We must take preventative actions to minimize water pollution to maintain the quality of our water sources, and thus, our quality of life.

Historical and Contemporary Diversity of Galaxiids in South America: Biogeographic and Phylogenetic Perspectives

Galaxiid fishes from South America are represented by three genera (Aplochiton, Brachygalaxias and Galaxias) and eight species. Their genetic patterns have been studied over the last two decades to disentangle how historical and contemporary processes influenced their biogeographic distribution and phylogeographic patterns. Here we review and synthesize this body of work. Phylogeographic approaches reveal the important role played by orogeny and the expansion/melting of glacial ice during the Quaternary. Populations retreated to glacial refugia during glacial times and some systems experienced drainage reversals from the Atlantic to the Pacific following deglaciation. Although most species expanded their populations and increased their genetic diversity during the Holocene, the introduction of salmonids and the construction of dams are likely to lead to a decline in genetic diversity for at least some species. An improvement in our understanding of the processes that influenced historical and contemporary diversity patterns among galaxiid and other native fishes in South America is necessary for addressing the cumulative and synergistic impacts of human activity on this unique freshwater fauna.

Evaluators in the Anthropocene

In the last century, human-led activities have drastically altered natural systems. The environmental impacts of human activity are so deleterious to living species and our biosphere that geologists have named this new geological era the Anthropocene, from anthropos, human being. Responses to the Anthropocene era call for drastic changes in all domains of activity. As evaluators, we claim to work for social betterment. We have a responsibility to adapt our approaches and practices to respond to this environmental challenge. The aim of this article is to raise awareness on the need to develop new approaches for evaluators in the Anthropocene. We first describe what this state of urgency represents for humans, the international commitments to take action, the solutions that exist, and what responding to this environmental challenge means for our profession.

Landscape Fragmentation Around Us – Integrating the Issue into Educational Processes at Primary and Secondary Schools

The steadily increasing landscape fragmentation and the reduction of permeability for wildlife are among the most negative impacts of human activity on the environment. In terms of education, theseproblems appear to be rather demanding, withthe difficulty corresponding tosecondary school standards. Considering the multiple interdisciplinary connections, the entire process cannot be sufficiently understood without a relevant amount of preliminary knowledge. Such a corpus of information is acquired especially through biology/ecology, geographyand history classes, but links to other subjects can be found too. The paper presents didactic methods facilitating the actual presentation of the theme to pupils/students; in this context, the authors discuss the possibilities of integrating the given problems into applicable schoolsubjects andoutline the risks arising from the proposed modification and/ or expansion of the teaching procedures. Also the links to data and supporting methodological materials are included that will allow the teacher to obtain enough information on the topicsto comprehend all the aspects and complexities of the innovated classes. In the corresponding sections, the papercharacterizes individual topics to be combined with selected teaching methods, especially as regards worksheets, project-oriented education, anda case study relating to afield trip targeting one of the areas of high importance for wildlife migration in the Czech Republic.

Application of galvanotaxis of ciliated protozoan cells to automation of acute toxicity assay

One of the most negative impacts of human activity on ecosystems is extensive environmental pollution. Large territories are polluted by different chemicals, which poses threat to any agricultural activity, not to speak of unhealthy life in such places. Thus, studying and developing express bioassay methods for risk assessment of chemical substances and aqueous media are now one of the most important problems in biotechnology. These bioassay methods can be used to success in ecology, agriculture, food industry, medicine, etc. In this paper we propose a method for automation of an acute toxicity assay. This method is based on the ability of Paramecium caudatum cells to move toward the cathode under a DC electric field.

Antarctic environmental change and biological responses

Antarctica and the surrounding Southern Ocean are facing complex environmental change. Their native biota has adapted to the region’s extreme conditions over many millions of years. This unique biota is now challenged by environmental change and the direct impacts of human activity. The terrestrial biota is characterized by considerable physiological and ecological flexibility and is expected to show increases in productivity, population sizes and ranges of individual species, and community complexity. However, the establishment of non-native organisms in both terrestrial and marine ecosystems may present an even greater threat than climate change itself. In the marine environment, much more limited response flexibility means that even small levels of warming are threatening. Changing sea ice has large impacts on ecosystem processes, while ocean acidification and coastal freshening are expected to have major impacts.

The Runoff Evolution and the Differences Analysis of the Causes of Runoff Change in Different Regions: A Case of the Weihe River Basin, Northern China

The runoff levels of the major hydrological stations in the Weihe river basin (WRB) have been found to present decreasing trends. However, the conspicuous spatial differences in the hydro-meteorological conditions have led to variations in the rainfall–runoff pattern in each of the sub-basin areas. The aims of this research study were to reveal the main factors contributing to the runoff changes in the different regions—and it has significance in the water resources rational allocation and protection in the different regions. Three statistical methods were used to analyze the law of precipitation and runoffs of five hydrological stations. The SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) model was used to reconstruct the runoff in the impact period. The effects of climate change and human activity on runoff were separated by comparing measured runoff and reconstructed runoff. The results show that the closer the proximity to the downstream hydrological station, the more the runoff decreased. In the tributaries and upstream hydrological stations (Zhuanhtou (ZT), Zhangjiashan (ZJS), and Linjiacun (LJC)), from 1970 to 2016, the dominant factor of the runoff reduction was determined to be climate change, and accounted for 148.2%, 98.9%, and 90.5%, respectively. In the hydrological stations of middle and lower reaches (Xianyang (XY) and Huaxian (HX)), the contributions of the climate change to the runoff reduction were 49.7% and 44.3%, respectively, and the impacts of human activity accounted for 50.3% and 55.7%. The impacts of human activity on the runoff reduction were slightly greater than that of the climate change. Due to the different leading factors affecting runoff change in the basin, in response to future climate change, for tributaries and upstream areas, land use should be rationally planned to achieve the optimal balance of water volume in each part of the basin, which is of great significance to the protection and utilization of water resources. As for the middle and downstream regions, reasonable planning should also be focused on the amount of water withdraw, water resource allocations, and water conservancy project construction. According to the factors affecting runoff, corresponding strategies are proposed for different regions, which have important research significance for the protection and sustainable development of watershed water resources.

Achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals within 9 planetary boundaries

Non-technical abstract The world agreed to achieve 17 Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Nine planetary boundaries set an upper limit to Earth system impacts of human activity in the long run. Conventional efforts to achieve the 14 socio-economic goals will raise pressure on planetary boundaries, moving the world away from the three environmental SDGs. We have created a simple model, Earth3, to measure how much environmental damage follows from achievement of the 14 socio-economic goals, and we propose an index to track effects on people's wellbeing. Extraordinary efforts will be needed to achieve all SDGs within planetary boundaries.